BLUE
by VisitorNo.18
Summary: An Installment from my previous story The Good Father of Germa, this time about the Teenage Life of Niji Vinsmoke (and his siblings). So How exactly did Niji decide to become a fashion designer? -Lots of love for the Vinsmoke Kids! (on HIATUS)
1. The Color Blue

**BLUE 2.0**

The Teenage Life of Niji Vinsmoke

* * *

Niji was not the smartest of the siblings. He'd give that title to Ichiji who was far more clever than him.

Niji also wasn't the strongest of the siblings, as that title would have gone to Sanji if he were still alive. Now, however, that title would have to go to Yonji. Plus that Yonji is more "adorable" in everybody else's opinion, while he thinks the youngest is the most annoying of his siblings.

Reiju was the more pleasing, patient and musically talented than all of them combined. Niji thinks it probably came with being a girl.

Niji was blue, and what a sad color blue was. Niji thinks as he reads the psychology of color book. Blue represents the sky and the sea. It represents calmness, peace and tranquility. Blue is often related to sadness or melancholy; AND why does everything BLUE stands for not like him at all?

Niji was not like Blue, he liked the sky and sea, but never found any attachments to it. Niji was the opposite of calm, he was erratic and active and always somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Niji is never sad. Well, not always sad. He was happy. He was with his family after all, and despite the loss of his brother Sanji, he never really felt the loss of a brother.

It was like, he knows Sanji is still out there, somewhere.

At the thought of everything he was thinking and going through, Niji Vinsmoke, at the young age of 13, found himself having something we all can commonly call an Identity Crisis.

... This did not escape his parent's observation.

"Niji my darling," Sora asks one day at dinner. "Would you like to join me tomorrow in the laboratory? The head scientist of the Raid Suit Project is going to present their findings tomorrow and I just thought you'd want to see how the project goes."

"Really Mom? Can I come too?!" Yonji excitedly chimes. Almost at the edge of his seat.

Sora looks to Niji, back hunched and ready to step back from her plans.

"I'm sorry baby, but this one is a little bit too advanced for you. Your chemistry results have been lacking recently and Niji's results are going almost too advanced. It's high time Niji learns the secret science of the raid suit." Sora explains with a wink, "Next time when your results are better, how about I take you field testing the Winch Gauntlet?"

"Do I get to test it?"

"Hmmm, maybe. If you're a good boy and improve on your grades." Sora challenges. Yonji loves testing the equipment, but Sora finds herself placing conditions for Yonji not to let his academics slack. He'd been uninterested in studies lately, showing aversion to assignment and being inattentive during lessons. Sora would not let her children stray from the path of knowledge, so she plants rewards and conditions for her youngest from time to time.

She looks to Niji, sees him playing with his food. Sora frowns. He wasn't like this in the past. What has gone wrong, she wonders. The Niji she knew was energetic, happy, a tattle-tale and somewhat of a hothead. This Niji was just… blue.

Sora nudges Judge with her shoulder. She eyes him and Niji. 'Do you know anything about this?' Her unspoken question.

Judge shrugs his shoulders. 'I have no idea.'

'Do something about it.' She silently demands. Her eyes and her brows making the message reach him.

Judge wipes his mouth with the napkin and pretends to cough. "Niji, do you mind staying after dinner. We have a few questions regarding your latest Biochemistry quiz."

Later after dinner, Niji stayed with Judge on the balcony for a short talk. Albeit a little awkward and have a lot of blank silence. "So…" Judge starts. He says nothing.

"So?" Niji asks.

"I heard from your mother you've been doing good in your sciences?" He says it more as a question than a statement.

"I guess." The blue-haired son's reply followed by a long string of silence.

"So…"

"Dad, if we aren't going to discuss anything of importance, maybe I should just go back to my room." Niji jumps down from the railing he was sitting on, onto the floor but before he can go back to the parlor.

"No! Wait. Son." Judge tries. He really tries. It's just that they were growing-up and turning into teenagers. Ichiji was showing interest in politics and hanging around the courtroom more often, Reiju was scolding herself strictly about music and practice, and locking herself off in her room. Sanji left to pursue training as a cook and now Niji was turning moody and down.

They were all changing and Judge still sees them as the little kids they were. He was still incredibly sweet on Reiju and still looks at the boys the way they were when they were younger and daring and foolish, always together and daring each other to do something stupid.

"What's wrong Niji? Why have you been down lately?" Because that was the truth. Niji had been down lately. He was less around and less noisy. Less everywhere and more nowhere to be found. His grades were improving and Niji was turning calmer and more well mannered too. Was it something they said or was personality change included in puberty? Unless it was something else that caught his eye... An outside stimulus! Suddenly a thought came to mind.

"Niji, are you infatuated with someone?"

"What! No! Dad! No! Why are you even asking that?!" Niji flushes at the inquiry. Of all the conclusions his father would lead to, why suddenly this? Can't it be because of his color? Or his worth? Or Niji ultimately questioning his role in the Kingdom of Germa? Could he just have some time to figure out what is it he wants to pursue and how he plans to pursue it? Can't he just…

"Dad. The last thing in my mind right now are girls."

"Son, you can tell us if you like boys…"

"What the heck! Dad!? No! I don't fucking like… Uggghhhh! Why am I even explaining this to you?!" Niji bends himself in half, hands covering his flushed and frustrated face.

From behind the curtain, Sora emerges. It seems she'd been there the whole time. "Oh sweety. You know we love you even if you choose not to produce heirs." She adds.

"MOOOOOOM!" He runs. Then turns back. "AND I'M NEVER MARRYING NOR DATING NOR CRUSHING ON ANYONE! EEEEEVERRRRRR!" He states before he runs off, back to his room.

He locks his door and flops down on his bed. "Stupid Dad, Stupid Mom. They just don't know anything!" He huffs.

"Why don't they just… Ugh, never mind." And soon enough. He was asleep.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**Oh darn, I made a sequel! Without finishing the second chapter! :O (I'm going in blind without knowing how this is going to end!) -I'm letting the reviewers be my lighthouse. :D**

**Well, here's to trying to finish it as quick as possible. :D**

**Enjoy!**


	2. Shorts

**C-N 2.2: Shorts**

The Old Raid suit was technologically designed for Judge Vinsmoke, The King and leader of Germa 66.

The new ones were a similar line for the rest of his children, the newer more advanced line with customized functions for the rest of them, also known as The Color Line. Niji cringes at the playfully childish designs in bright pink, red, blue and green.

Shorts. Why the heck did they even make it a raid suit if they were gonna make it shorts? And why the heck are Reiju's shorts so much shorter than theirs? What next, they're gonna force them to wear socks for mosquito protection?

"Dr. Jockoveller, I trust there are leg covers for the children." Sora inspects.

"Ye- yes your highness. We have specially designed thermal knee socks for all of them." And out came padded socks that would make them look like they were going to beginner's ice-skating lessons than going on a raid mission. No military leader, soldier, not even a goon was going to take them seriously with this attire. They were fucking 13! And Reiju is 16! Why the heck do they need to wear shorts?!

Niji was silent as they were lead to their seats for the demonstration from behind the glass. On the other side of the glass barrier was a room equipt with targets and lasers, grenades, bullets, sharp objects, dull objects and a bunch of other things Niji knows poses great threat and damage.

As they were seated, the demo began. The first suit was the white, grey and red one for Ichiji. It was fitted on a dummy and set at the center of the enclosed room.

"Your highnesses, as you can see, the red suit is designed for light and radiation. It took us years to perfect the micro-technology but after 6 years, this is the final result of the multi-resistant cloth that was utilized for the prototype gloves 1 till 70." The scientist explained as plasmic radiation, something they found similar to Ichiji's powers were used for the demo. "But to prove there are no tricks for the rest of the demonstration, We shall first test the dummy. In which a knife was stabbed on the open face and exposed areas of the dummy. The knife embeds itself halfway before it was pulled out. Sora nods in understanding.

"The most redeeming factor of the cloth is it's resistance to tension and even sharp objects." Knives, bullets and even a chainsaw were used on the suit. It emerged with not a single scratch. "This technology was applied to all the suits, and will be applied for the next project with creating another suit for his highness the King."

"Is it waterproof? Thermal tech? Air-tech? Acid proof? Is it creaseless?" Niji asks in succession as he watches the next dummy getting set-up.

"Well, yes, yes, not quite, yes and absolutely yes." The scientist answers anyway. "The blue suit is designed for high electrical charges. While the other suits are also part poly-synthetic and non-conductible, this suit contains small slivers of gold and copper conductors embedded in the fabric which can assist Prince Niji in channeling his electricity in his hands, legs and other key body parts." The dummy was suddenly lit in flames. "Another special function of the blue raid suit is increased heat and fire resistance, as electricity normally leads to higher heat production from the prince's body. Note that the embedded fibers pose no harm to the wearer once the cloth is set aflame."

"What if I sweat or fall in the ocean? Would there be a difference?"

"No young sir, there won't. According to your reports, your bodies don't normally sweat."

"That was then. We're entering the stage of puberty now." Niji supplies. "Can we test it out? Add some ionized water to the inside of the cloth while it's burning?"

"My your highness, you are thinking so far ahead for the raid suit. Do we need to do another physical examination to update your physical reports?" The scientist asks.

"If we can, yes. Also, I have some issues with the current designs of the raid suits." He points at his suit, quickly changing the topic of his more personal physical problems to the raid suit, now without flames but still looks well and clean. "I understand that this was started a few years back when we were 7, but of all the things we have to wear now, why still shorts?"

"Your highness, yes, well. As of present, we've worked on the cloth mostly, and… We understand if the design is no longer to your liking, but this was chosen in the past by the queen herself and-"

"Mom, can we please get the designs changed. Also, Reiju would like to wear a dress or a skirt with shorts inside."

"Of course dear. We shall change the designs for you and your siblings to fit them in their proper ages."

"Also Mom, can we get a little individuality in it? Mine and Yonji's clothes look practically the same. Ichiji's is similar too. I don't want to go out wearing the same clothes as them anymore." Niji was a little concerned at Sora's dramatic gasp and shocked face. Her eyes were too wide and her mouth was open wide, comedically so. What did he say to get such a reaction?

"But… I've always loved seeing you four in your matching outfits." Sora admits. She'd been responsible for dressing up her kids ever since they were born. All their clothes were chosen and lovingly hand-picked by her for almost every single day of their lives. She couldn't help it ok, they were Reiju and quadruplets; and they were so cute in matching outfits and different colors! Was it a crime to make them wear matching shirts and pants and accessories all the time? Of course not. They were her babies! She can dress them up as she likes!

"Moooom, matching clothes are for babies and kids. It WAS fine to dress us up like that in the past so you can find us easily in a crowd." Niji raises the pitch of his voice two notes higher and role-plays as Sora during one of their friendlier excursions with matching hand gestures, "Excuse me sir, have you seen my child with blue hair? He's dressed like my other children here but the only difference is he has blue hair." (Surprisingly, he sounds so much like her, even the staff thought it was Sora's voice.)

"That is not true. We all wear matching things all the time! It's like the kingdom's uniform." She pouts. She liked the uniform on Judge. The color suits him perfectly. He looked a bit intimidating but smart and handsome and so very sexy. Sora was pleased... Oh, and white suited her and her scientists too!

"Well, I don't want to keep wearing the uniform. I want to choose my own clothes from now on." Niji worries as he watched his mother's face drain of color, eyes bulged and gasping with her mouth wide open. It was like she was hit by some unknown force. "Uh, mom?"

"No… No, darling. I- I completely understand. You- you can choose your own clothes from now on." Sora wipes her sweat with a handkerchief and sips the water offered to her. This was hard… Why does she find it hard to accept the fact that she will no longer be dressing-up her baby? Why- just the thought of never preparing their daily outfits makes her feel like a hole is getting punched through her heart.

Well, not all is lost. Sora still has the liberty of designing some of the outfits for her kids. Not just the uniforms and raid suits worn by everyone on Germa. All the clothes on Germa 66 were inspected in the Tailor's Segment of the Kingdom. All the uniform designs and all other clothes had to run by her to make sure they were clothes that could conceal Germa 66 secrets and ensure the wearer's safety by utilizing the advanced science of Germa's micro-technology.

Niji adds "And regarding the designs of my new raid suit. I would like to make and choose my own design?" Sora finds herself spit taking the water through her nose.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Second Chapter! One review from a guest! Gosh, I don't know how to respond to that. In this world, Reiju really is a violinist. Literally. It ain't no metaphor or anything. Please read my previous fic, The Good Father of Germa to know all about how Reiju decided she wanted to be a musician and play the violin to a kingdom who doesn't appreciate music. :D **


	3. The Stitches

**C-N 2.2: The Stitches**

Sewing was harder than Niji thought. It was pretty stupid how he can't even make a decent pillow case while all the other scientists were sewing like pros. Here he was, stuck on using regular cloth and using a needle instead of a sewing machine like everyone else was, all because the sewing machine practically ate his sleeve the first time he tried it in a crass and impatient manner without any guidance nor supervision of any sort. (In short, he hijacked the machine when no one was looking and it ate his sleeve.) How was he supposed to know the pedal was sensitive?

"My your highness, you've greatly improved." Katarina, one of the actual seamstresses in trade who was also a commanding officer of the Tailor's Segment of the kingdom observed Niji's third pillow case for the day. She was a short woman. Sort of stout after sitting all day in front of a sewing machine. She was somewhat young, maybe in her mid-thirties, Niji thinks as he looks at the dark auburn of her bun-up hair peppered with lighter streaks of white. She was a fine teacher for someone who's taught him for exactly 8 hours, excluding the time he commandeered the sewing machine which ate his sleeve.

So far, Niji had been taught five kinds of stitches, and all of them he had applied to the three pillowcases. First the Running stitch, which seemed pretty simple enough until he realized how hard it was to keep the whole line even. Then there was the Back stitch, which he had to patiently return back to the end of the second line he's made which was nerve wrenchingly time consuming, in Niji's opinion.

Then there was the Cross Stitch which he used rarely in making his pillow case as he only used it for his buttons, but he'd seen many times that Reiju used it with the ring thing to make patterns on her frilly hand kerchiefs.

There were also the Hemming Stitch, which he used for the edges of the pillow case so that the edges' cloth wouldn't unravel, and the locks they thought him so that the thread would be secured.

"Why do I even bother with this? Why can't the cloth just automatically sew itself to the form? This is stupid." He comments as he continues to sew the pillow case.

"Well your highness, maybe you would be able to make a cloth with such capabilities." The seamstress indulges the boy. Such a cloth would be wonderfully convenient, although it would cost her her job. Niji pouts, why is this woman so happy and serene? Can't she understand an insult when she hears it?

"Ha! I hope I can. This way you poor sods won't have to do this stupid back stitch to make some decent sturdy clothes." Niji gets back to sewing the pillow case, albeit letting out a few grumbles of complaint.

"But your highness, the back stitch is one of the sturdiest stitches. In my opinion, the best stitch is the hemming because it goes back to ensure the things are secured. Would you like it if your clothes failed you and ripped because you didn't enforce your stitches?" Katarina tells the prince. "The running stitch may be easier to do, but one snapped thread and the whole thing is easy to undo.

She takes one of Niji's first pillow cases and cuts a part of the running. "Hey!" Niji screams as Katarina pulls off the first straight set of running stitches.

Niji looses it and jumps on her lap. Snatching the first pillow case he'd made. It was still good, after all, Katarina made him practice his hemming stitch at the area closer to the edge.

Niji looks the pillow case over. It was still in-tact, and the holes the running stitches were in simply disappeared, the cloth fibers adjusted so that it seems like the running stitches were never there in the first place. His hard work, gone, in an instant. He couldn't help the frown on his lips.

"Your running stitch looked more like tack stitches here." Niji tilts his head at the new term. Tack stitch? Once Katarina realized he may not have encountered it yet, she explains.

"Tact stitches were never meant to be there forever. It was made to keep the cloth stable before it gets permanently attached by the back, hemming and the other stitches."Katarina explains. She then produces a little tool made out of plastic and a sharp metal at the end. "Here is a ripper. It's used to cut the thread and pull them out easier. Could you do that with your running stitches, please." She presents the tool to him. He takes it and positions it like she did with the first string she removed. But Niji couldn't break the running stitch, rather, he didn't want to." Niji clicks his tounge.

"Tch, if I were going to remove them in the first place, you shouldn't have made me do it at all." He sets everything down. He didn't want to do this anymore. It's a total waste time. Can't he just draw what he wants to wear? Wouldn't that be simpler than actually learning how to make clothes?

"Well, your highness, they weren't the sturdy kind of running and they looked more like tack stitches. Also do you think you'd have been able to do your back stitches or hemming stitches? Rather, Do you think you'd have been able to make this perfect rectangular shape without the tack stitches' help?"

"I could have." Niji argued.

"And you also could have made the perfect shirt during your first go at the sewing machine. Trust me your highness, learning the basics by experience would greatly benefit your skills for the future." Katarina explains as she takes the second pillow case and swiftly removed all the tack/running stitches. This time Niji didn't take it from her.

"For now, let's use that as your reference guide. You don't have to do anything with that one. When you feel like you need to see how the stitches goes again, you can just look at that pillow case and remember how." She takes the pillow case and looks at the buttons and the poorly sewn buttonholes with the hemming.

Niji snatches the first pillow case from her hands. Yet he contemplates with a frown, something that greatly bothered Katarina. "The more I think about it, tack stitches are like stepping stones." He follows. "They get discarded when you don't need them anymore."

"That's one way to see it." Katarina thinks to herself. "I see tack stitches, and I see them as teachers. They teach you the basics, give you the form and help pave the path. Then when you don't need them anymore, they let you finalize your work. And you'll feel proud of it!" She smiles. "Your highness, would you like to learn to sew on a zipper on this pillow case?" Katarina diverts and holds up the third pillowcase with the buttons as she watches Niji remove the running/ tack stitches of the second one, seemingly more at ease.

"Yeah? Show me." He leans over closer to to the woman, leaving only five inches of space between them, so close she could already feel the warmth of his breath. "Teach me everything you know about sewing, and I'll let you be my tack stitch." Niji says as plainly as he can, yet the implication might have been misinterpreted. Niji used no flowery words, no praises nor flatteries, but he had sentiment. He was sincere, and that itself was one way to get a woman's heart.

Katarina blushes. Who knew the second prince could be this charming? Reading his words and serious expression as so much more than he'd implied. "My, your highness, what an endearing thing to say." She gushes as she giggles. The second prince was cute, but he was too young for her anyway. In Katarina's mind, Niji had just stated his determination to please her as his one and only teacher. Such a sweet thing to say too, coming from a young prince such as Niji.

Niji lets up and plops right back down to his seat. He takes up the needle and the thread, using the threader to get his thread through the eye. He diligently continues his work, mumbling complains a few times, but still doing his work quite well.

"Katarina." Niji calls.

"Yes your highness?"

"Call me Niji, just Niji when were alone like this." The second prince looks up from his work, "and I'll be calling you my teacher."he announces and shoots her a smile.

Katarina flushes red, and visibly lets out steam. Oh what a charming prince, indeed. She prays she survives this experience.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you Iwashima Fue and MakogirlY14 for the energizing reviews! XD I'm so happy I could BURST! XD Here is a gift, hastily written thanks to your wonderful reviews! :D Niji has CHARM. ;) **


	4. The Normal Male Body

**C-N 2.3: The Normal Male Body**

"Your highnesses, we believe that you are not likely to develop any sweating problems or hormonal problems for the rest of your growing period." The physician announces. Niji could only stare while Yonji raised a brow, arms crossed and waiting for more.

"Your bodies have matured since after your hair color had changed, and we believe this to be the last stage of your genetically enhanced physical growth such as exoskeleton and powers, outside of your normal growth in mass and height until you reach the normal biological growing age of 21." The physician reads off the charts and 5 years worth of data. The 13 year-olds continued to scowl. They were not pleased with this news.

They won't accept it. Not like this.

Niji was expecting a lot of things before, during and after puberty. Somehow, he'd overheard a few scientists mention their awkward phases during their youth and realized he should be bound for these changes too, and he was actually looking forward to the experience.

He'd asked his father about puberty, and he'd told him that he started growing like a sprout around that age, which led him to his current height.

Yonji was more excited about the luxurious locks his father had growing in his hair and different places. Sometimes, he'd see his mother playing with his hair and teasing him about it when they think they're alone, and isn't that nice? Yonji imagines himself getting pampered the same way his mother does with his father. It's practically his ultimate goal right now.

"So we won't be getting any hairs on our chests and stuff?" Yonji asked.

"No. Well, your father has chest hair, and you are his son so it is genetically possible, but as of now, we don't expect you to get them, not with the exoskeleton."

"How about body odor? Hormonal imbalance? Growth spurts?" Niji asks this time.

"From the very beginning, your highnesses bodies does not sweat as we do. Your bodies are well maintained and smooth as machinery. All the heat and movement you built-up is conserved and utilized in different biological functions outside of the urinary and endocrine systems."

"We get that! We just want to know if we're ever going to look like Father!" Yonji complains.

"Yes, well. You are your parent's kids."

"We know that we're our parent's kids, we just want to know if the enhancements will _**LET**_ us be like them." Niji elaborates. "We're 13 now, and things don't feel any different. It's like we're stuck being kids forever. You understand how much that will suck don't you?"

The doctor looks at the two of them, irate and frantic. Clueless and helpless at the same time. To think, some kids would actually **WANT** to undergo puberty.

When he was a kid, he was a late bloomer, so to speak, and puberty had been hell for him. It had been such a pain to suddenly grow so tall and need so much food. It was such a dumb thing, puberty. He'd feel the strain and pain of his muscles. He'd feel the need for sexual satisfaction. Acceptance by his peers. He'd do stupid things to meet his needs. It sucked.

"Your highness, if it's puberty you are wondering about, let me tell you now that both of you are still young, so looking like kids isn't the problem. You both just need to be patient and inform us when you both feel it."

"But what are we supposed to feel?!" Yonji grumbles.

"Well, let's analyze this. What do you hope to achieve after puberty?"

"Height/ Body Hair." The boys answered at the same time. The doctor sighed.

"You do know that puberty comes with more than height and body hair. You'll have body odor, weight gain, muscle gain, sexual needs, growth spurts and a whole lot of awkwardness."

"We can manage," Niji adds. "We're rich." Yonji follows. The doctor sweat drops.

"And with growing older comes responsibilities. What are your plans for the future?" The doctor adds, another thing he hated about growing older.

"To conquer and rule North Blue!" The two answered at the same time. As if sure that they will rule it in the future. Ambitious, the lot of them.

"And how will you conquer North Blue in the future?"

"Develop Raid Suits/ Weapons." The boys' answers. They eyed each other incredulously. Yet like everything else they had a certain understanding with, they just looked each other in the eyes and silently swore on the arrangement. 'No promises', they seem to say to each other. Yet knowing the other, the results will transcend the expectations.

"And **HOW** will you develop Germa Technology when you both are more concerned about frivolous things such as puberty instead of the engineering behind Germa tech?" The doctor broke the silent conversation between the blue and green brothers. They were left speechless.

The doctor sighs. "Your highnesses, Niji, Yonji…" The doctor calls them fondly. He'd watched over these kids since they were babies. Heck, even when they were still sperm and egg grown in a tube. The Vinsmokes had treated all their staff and scientists like family unless proven unworthy. He loved these kids, much like his own, so maybe giving them an advise wound't hurt anybody.

"You both are still young, 13 is such a young age compared to 40. Your parents are 40 now, and looking like they do now didn't happen in 13 years. Visually comparing yourselves to your father is quite vain and indefinitely useless." He admits. "But. It doesn't mean you have to be 40 to know all the things he knows now in the books he'd written and studies they've conducted. In fact, there's nothing stopping you from doing more than what your parents had done when they were kids."

The two princes pouted, arms still crossed, and the doctor may add- still just brats, and whether or not they understand what he'd said is completely up to them to work on.

"Yeah, yeah. We get your point." Niji answers. "Thanks for nothing doc. We'll tell you if something happens." Yonji follows. This earns him a punch to the shoulder.

"That's rude. I'm telling mom."

"Hey! Don't tell her anything! Snitch!" The two boys argued.

The doctor sighs as they run out of his office. Well, boys will be boys, he supposes.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Oh believe me**,,,** Cosette will be there. I just have to set-up some parts about their enhancements first.**

**1) We know for a fact that they will grow in height. It's canon that Yonji is the tallest, btw.**

**2) I noticed they are more well-shaven or smoother than Sanji. I have reason to believe their aging is being suppressed by the enhancement. :( As I said, Sanji's enhancement had been purposefully stunted by his parents and Zeff. That means the only way they can get facial, armpit, back, chest and pubic hair is if they didn't have the exoskeleton. : SO I make it my **hc** that they don't have excess hair anywhere. Even Reiju.**

**3) At first, I thought Ichiji would be more concerned about his height because there are a lot of siblings who compare height and usually the eldest lords over and feels smug that they're taller... but I thought again and decided He'd be more concerned about other more important matters.**


	5. The Art of Drawing

**C-N 2.4: The Art of Drawing**

Ichiji was where he usually was, reading a book in the classroom. Although, the classroom is turning more and more into his personal study room the more they look at the shelves. There were 15 shelves in the room and 7 of them were filled with psychology and political science and law books. All the books Ichiji's interests lay.

There were 2 shelves for physics and engineering and 1 shelf for textile design and textile technology and one special shelf for Reiju's violin books, which were only half-full as apparently, 90% of what Reiju needs in PRACTICE. 5 Shelves were all on Biological and Bio-Chemical Sciences and all of that was already drilled into their heads for the past 12 years of their lives. Most of the introductory books to medical science which Reiju had only begun to skim.

Niji watches with complete disinterest as Ichiji reads and turns another page of his book.

"The Art of War?" Niji reads the cover. So boring, he thought.

"It's actually quite interesting. War is a strategy game that can be summarized into a few key rules." He responds as he continues to read.

"Like I'm ever going to use it."

"You'd be surprised how often you actually used it on us Niji." Ichiji smirks, uneven and condensing. "-I'm telling mom~." He mimics Niji's line.

"Telling mom isn't a war tactic." He snaps. "It's exactly what I'm gonna do. It's no empty threat either."

"In which you exploit our weakness and attack when we least expect it." Ichiji jokes. "You threaten us Niji, threaten and defeat us."

"There's more actually." Ichiji mimics another line. "~This is me- caring." A line he'd only recently used often. "Your disinterest intimidates and chides people, Niji." Ichiji mentions. "Also, you literally release lightning bolts when you're mad, another great intimidation technique and a show of force and ability."

"I do not release lightning when I'm mad!" And just as he'd said that, lighting escaped his balled fists. He pouts and turns from Ichiji. "Know it all." He chides.

"I have reason to believe this book's contents are accurate because half the time I see you and Yonji doing these things and I know for a certain you are both at war."

"We are not at war! We're brothers. We're fighting- like normal brothers do."

"Yes, in short, you both just declared war on each other for mama and father's affections." He summarizes and ends the conversation by returning to his reading.

"Ichiji, can you take a look at my drawing?" Niji pushes up his paper over Ichiji's book. "What do you think?"

"I do not know what this is supposed to be."

"It's me, wearing the raid suit design I want." Niji explains.

All Ichiji could see was a big blue head of what was supposed to be Niji's hair in three jagged streaks, four rectangles of blue for arms and legs, and lighting bolts for what he supposes are pockets and buttons. "Looks like Pajamas." He laughs. "Cute onesies, if you ask me."

Niji rips the paper into many pieces, littering them on the floor. "They are not pajamas! And they are not cute!" He storms out of the classroom.

* * *

He hears the sound of violin strings, playing from up the tower. Reiju was practicing, it's probably 3 pm already. He continues to sit on his desk as he tries (and fails) to draw a human body.

He's got one drawing book open, the only drawing book he'd seen in the classroom and he was doing exactly as the book illustrated for him to do. Draw a circle, then a rectangle then an inverted triangle and there he has a face. Then he- erases.

"Start by saying to use a pencil! Dumb book!" Now he needs to stand up and look for a pencil.

There was a knock on the door.

"Y-Your highness." A small voice asks from behind it. 'What now?' He whines in his thoughts.

"Leave me alone. I'm busy!" He shouts as he tries to find a pencil. "And bring me a pencil and an eraser. God knows how long I haven't used those things."

"Y-yes, your highness." The voice says. And he hears shoes tapping along the corridor. 'I gotta tell her to be quieter the next time she comes around. Her feet are as heavy as stones.'

But the maid who delivered the utensils he'd asked for wasn't the same maid. This was one of his mother's maids, Eponi.

"Your highness," she shows him a book, another "How to Draw" book. "I heard you wanted to learn how to draw outfits." She smiles.

"Mom sent you then?" Niji asks, not entirely sure what this maid was supposed to do.

"Yes and no, your highness." Niji groans. Why be so cryptic?

"Did you know I was your mother's art teacher?"

"You're lying." He was skeptical. Eponi was a maid. A medical maid. How did she learn to draw between studying medicine and maid work?

"No I am not. I just happened to hear you were starting and I thought you might like to learn the basics first. May I come in?"

Niji looks out the hall fist, left and right. When the coast was clear, he all but practically pulls her into his room.

"How do I start?" Niji pulls up another chair from the corner of his room. Setting-up his desk to accompany the both of them. He even tore a page from his sketchbook so she can have a page for herself.

While he was doing that, she browses the page he'd been using and trying to figure out how well he's doing.

"Before that, I would like to know how far along your skills are, your highness." She takes a framed picture from his night table. "Your highness, please try to draw your father in this picture. His whole body please." She sets it down in front of him.

Niji starts to draw. He starts off small on the large page, barely taking-up 1/4 of it. Before he can even finish the poorly done version of Judge's head, she stops her. "Let's stop here your highness, let us look at our paper."

"Why? What's wrong?" Niji grumbles, seeing nothing wrong with his picture.

"Your highness, with a drawing this small I very well can't see the details of the outfit and his majesty's face. How about we try something like this…" She turns to another page on his sketchbook.

"First we draw a circle for your father's head. "Instead of a small circle like Niji was expecting, it was a bigger circle. "Then we make the basic shapes for the face. We have a trunk and an inverted triangle, but…" She adds lines that makes the chin blocky, "Your father has a very defined jaw in this picture, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah. He does." And Eponi continues to make basic shapes, slowly forming the body similar to his father's. "I was just learning that!" He comments.

"As you should, but I for one prefer watching someone else draw before I take their techniques and call it mine." She says as she continues to draw. There was a large triangle for the shoulders, a rectangular chest, then a small triangle and a trunk for the belly. Then there was a triangle for that area and the legs and arms were rectangles, adding circles at the joints for indication.

"Then we refine it." She said as she added curves on his arms and other places that could fold and bend. "Fingers are tricky, and requires a lot of practice." She comments.

"Hey, how about you finish this? Try to draw his clothes, your highness." Niji practically takes the pencil offered to him. He proceedes to look at the picture and try his hand on drawing his father's clothes.

She watches as he does his work with extreme concentration. It was fun to watch. She stays silent as he draws. When he had the basic shape of his coat, she teaches him how to shade it by imagining where the light is coming from then determining the shadows, where the darker shades are normally found and how the pencil should be positioned.

"Oh my God!" Niji screams in joy, his excitement couldn't be contained, and started jumping up and down. "It's decent!" His smile was so wide. "Thank you Eponi!" He all bug hugs her, "Thank you thank you thank you!" He giggles. "I'm telling-" he stops himself before he can continue his words. Was he really that predictable?

"What's wrong your highness? Wouldn't you want to let the queen see your work?" Eponi asks. Whenever something happened, prince Niji would immediately report to their mother, be it a large accident or petty little argument, and every other thing in between.

"This isn't entirely my work yet, isn't it?" Niji looks at the sketch. All the hard parts were done by her. All the shapes and the "refining" that looks easy to do but is actually not, was done by her. This wasn't him- it wasn't his art yet.

"It's not… but it shows that you have potential. You weren't born a designer your highness…" that earns her a pout, "but you can become one. Look at how well you drew and shaded that coat! I only pushed you a little and suddenly you've drawn the clothes on the model!" She praises. "You can do it, with just a bit more practice."

Niji groans, loud and exhausted. "Pr-ac-ti-ceeeeee" He whines, and dramatically falls to the floor. A spotlight out of nowhere illuminating the blue-haired boy.

On top of sewing classes, he's got drawing practice too?! What does he have to do to make his own decent raid suit?!

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**In which I attended 1 day of art class as a child and suddenly I was a natural. That art class was based on real experience. I realize later on that it's not really my work, but something I helped to create... so practice hard and make your own art.**

**Artists needs 5 things to become artists. 1)Passion, 2)Mediums, 3)Muses, 4)Introduction/Lessons and 5)PRACTICE. Because you need time, money, materials, dedication to finish the piece and a person who will tell you how to use the materials properly. There's a reason why introductory lessons are so important. A baby can't learn to draw if he wasn't introduced to crayons and paint… he would have eaten it first before figuring out it makes lines on paper. Would have wasted it first before it came to fruition. That's why it's important to get a teacher. Self-taught is not self-taught when you have a video or a book with illustrations, but the most effective way to learn is watching someone else art before you make yours. **


	6. A Rat in the Kitchen

**C-N 2.5: A Rat in the Kitchen**

Niji honestly, seriously, undoubtedly thinks there's a ghost in the castle.

"I'm serious Ichi! THERE. IS. A. GHOST. IN. OUR. TOWER." Niji shakes his brother's shoulder at the den of night. The blue-haired brother having begged the older to let him sleepover at his room. Ichiji was starting to regret letting the bluenette have his request.

"For the last time, that is not a ghost. That is the sound of a servant's footsteps." Ichiji explains.

"In the middle of the night?!" Niji argues as he punches his brother's shoulder.

"Yes. And stop punching me." Ichiji re-adjusts himself. "And it there was a ghost, it would either be Sanji or Uncle Zeff's."

More steps echo through the halls, right behind Ichiji's door.

"It's there," Niji whispers as he slowly gets down from Ichiji's bed to chase after the ghost.

The echoes of the steps get softer and softer. Niji scrambles to open the door and run after the ghost. "Niji!" Ichiji calls, but the bluenette had already sprinted after the ghost. The eldest brother groans and sits up to find his slippers and follow after his brother.

There was a shriek, a girly shriek had resounded through the halls.

What did Niji do now? Ichiji wondered.

"Huh, you're not a ghost…" Ichiji heard as he'd turned the corner.

"N-no, I-I'm not!"

"Goodness Niji! Gets off her now!" Because the entire scene was just a compromising position.

Ichiji had the decency to cover his eyes while the two fix themselves proper.

While he was going after his brother, Niji had jumped the figure of the ghost in the shadows and ended-up straddling a girl to the floor. She was wearing a dark nightdress and the fall had raised it up to her thighs, just a bit more and Ichiji would have seen the barest hint of her panties underneath. Niji was wearing a robe underneath his pajamas, but he too looked disheveled, as he'd just woken from his sleep and immediately ran for the ghost, only slipping his arms through the sleeves and dashing right out. Sometime during the fall, Niji had managed to slip his hand at the back of her head, maybe upon realizing that it wasn't a ghost after all, aimed to cradle her head when he'd already jumped.

"I'm off, I'm off." Niji said, "Sorry about that. I thought you were a ghost or something…." Niji apologized. Niji looks at her now, an unfamiliar face. She was young, maybe as young as them. She had light brown hair and freckles on her cheeks. "Who are you?" Ichiji asks. "You aren't part of our waiting staff."

"I-I'm new… an apprentice… for the chefs…" She mumbles, "your highness…"

"How come you weren't endorsed?" Ichiji continues his interrogation. "There are strict laws to staff endorsements, if they weren't they'd be considered spies and hanged at the plaza." Ichiji threatens. The girl pales, continues to shake her head and blinks away the tears forming in her eyes.

"I-I was only endorsed to the kitchen staff! I-I'm not a spy! Please, spare me."

"Then what are you doing near our chambers?" Niji asks. "The servants quarters are behind ours, the kitchen isn't even near this tower. And do you know what time it is? It's the middle of the night!" Niji scolds her. "Do you know what comes out at night in Germa?"

She shakes her head. "No?"

"Ghosts. The halls are full of them." Niji scares her. She swallows her scream, goosebumps run through her arms and prickles the back of her neck.

"Niji! Stop scaring her." Ichiji scolds. "Girl, what are you doing here at this time?"

She looks away, hands fidgeting, looking through the halls for ghosts. "Answer us girl, else be hanged by morning." Ichiji threatens. She answers. "T-There's a kitchen across your tower… I-It's functional and I practice there at night." She'd confessed. "P-please don't tell. I- clean up and fix the kitchen after."

The brothers' reactions couldn't be anymore different. While Ichiji's shoulders slacken, Niji's shoulders tensed. Ichiji had given-up and accepted the fact. Sanji had died three years ago in a fire in that very kitchen. Why mother and father decided to repair and re-furnish the place…."That was our brother's kitchen before he…"

"Our brother died in that kitchen," Niji states darkly. "Never go back to that kitchen again, you understand?"

"I-I… Y-yes, your highness. U-under-s-stood." She bowed.

"Let's go back to sleep Ichiji. There's no ghosts here. Just a rat." Niji makes his way back first.

"Servant girl." Ichiji calls. "Y-yes, your highness."

"While my brother had explained the story of that kitchen, I don't think he'd explained it well enough." Ichiji makes himself comfortable as he sits down a seat at the corner of the hall, overlooking an opened window, letting the cool breeze and the pale moonlight enter the halls. "It was three years ago when the third prince of Germa died in a terrible kitchen fire. The kitchen and parts of his hall were burnt. Quite frankly, the reason why the kitchen looks new is because no one had the heart to step foot there again after the renovation."

"But… I've never heard of a prince who cooks…" She'd whispered to herself. Ichiji couldn't help but smile. Sanji was special like that.

"My brother loved to cook. It was his passion. He never liked being a prince and his dream was to become a cook and find All Blue." He'd smiled sadly as he remembers their talks. Sanji would find All Blue, and he, as King, would claim it theirs. A place where they could call their own, where they could live in peace… So much for that dream.

She looks at the girl before him. She loves the art as much as his brother did. She wants to practice and get better, as he'd strived. She could do it, he knew. She would be a good chef.

"While Niji wouldn't want you practicing in his kitchen, I for one, don't mind." Ichiji tells her. "If anyone sees you there, tell them Prince Ichiji gave you permission to use the private kitchen. In return I want you to take care of it. Report to maintenance when the oven breaks or the sink clogs. He'd always get angry when things break in his kitchen, he doesn't even realize the pressure he places on things." Ichiji reminisces the days he'd be stuck back in the classroom because his precious refrigerator was being repaired, or the stove was getting cleaned, or the oven repaired due to a broken knob which Sanji had pinched too tightly with his inhuman strength.

"Y-Yes. I Understand! Thank you, your highness!" She'd bowed in thanks. "I'll keep the kitchen in tip-top shape!" She promises.

"Good. That is all I ask." Ichiji stands from his seat and turns to get back to his room. "Also, girl…" He turns, "What is your name?"

"I- I'm Cosette, your highness." She introduces herself with a butler's bow. Ichiji was amused, who'd taught her that, he wonders with a smile.

"Cosette, then, Good Night if that is all." He'd waved as he made his way back to his room.

Unknown to him the young blooming crush forming in the servant girl's heart for the capable, considerate and kind first prince. Would Cosette call it love? (Don't be silly, you're a servant girl! Snap out of it Cosette!- she slaps herself on the cheeks.) She'd never admit just how much she already liked the first prince after meeting him once, what more if they meet again?

If they meet again…

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Well, there's Cosette. XD I bet you weren't expecting this… development. XD **


	7. How Dads Can Screw-Up

**C-N 2.6: How Dads Screw-Up (and how kids can fix it)**

The honorable mighty King of Germa 66… was soooo dead.

It had been a terrible week. The budget for the new experiments could not be followed through. The prices of the materials needed had suddenly increased, ever since Flevance was destroyed and the prices of Amber Lead had exponentially skyrocketed over time due to demand. Even in the black markets, Amber Lead continues to be an expensive rare commodity. The pigments for the raid suits were put on hold, as well as a few of the other experiments on biochemical weaponry and chemical toxicology behind Amber Lead, which Reiju was experimenting on to use for her poison utilizing abilities.

Over time, Reiju had successfully withstood multiple poisons exposed to her body, but until recently, she'd figured out a way to fully extract poison from an affected person, even one close to death can be healed with her miraculous poison eating kiss. (Even if Judge would prefer she'd never again kiss another boy in her life until she's married. Even then Judge plans to enact a royal proclamation that no one should kiss Reiju before him for fear that he might kill those princess robbing bastards.)

As he was saying, it had been a very awful week… so awful he had completely forgotten that tomorrow would be his wife's birthday. -And he hadn't prepared for her a gift.

Every year, he'd usually pick something special for her from an island they've conquered or raided or visited. Sometimes, he'd gift her something more practical and made from their lab, like a lab coat that withstands everything, or shoes that would never hurt her feet when she walks and stands for a long time, or a hair pin which she'd occasionally wear for semi-formal events. Such was the duty of a loved and well-respected husband.

Now, however, he'd completely forgotten about her birthday due to an exhausting week of treasury related problems.

Which is why he'd gotten his children up so early in the morning to- _**"Help me make a glorious birthday breakfast for your mother!"**_ He'd ordered his still sleepy children. Yonji was yawning and Reiju was still rubbing sleep off her eyes. The kids were still wearing their pajamas, as was he. It would be a disgraceful scene to any royal, to be seen in sleeping wear in the kitchen so early in the day. Heck, even Judge wouldn't allow Sanji to work this early, even if he insists to work with the chefs. The whole idea would be preposterous for nobles and royals... but Judge was desperate, so he'll let this pass.

"Father. Did it ever occur to you that none of us can cook decently?" Ichiji reasons. Niji was slumped over his shoulder, sleeping on him while standing on his feet. The second brother had been up late last night practicing. The sound of the sewing machine had been an indication he was still at work until late into the night.

"I can cook." Judge had confidently stated. Yonji snorts a laugh. Ichiji raises a brow and Reiju stifles her giggle. "Wh- what?" Niji wakes from his nap.

"I can definitely cook, but… I was used to having Sanji with me every time I did…" The siblings lose their smiles. It's been three years, going four since they've lost him. The pain goes away over time, but does it really, when you've lost a sibling?

"I understand father." Ichiji answers, "but it's not a good idea to cook with just us here. I'm calling for re-inforcements." Ichiji walks out of the room. The family of three (and one sleeping blunette on the counter) just watched and waited for the red haired boy to return.

"He's not coming back, is he?" Yonji asks.

"He'll be back… Eventually." Judge really doesn't know. Either way, he'd need to start on those pancakes if he ever wants to surprise his wife with a grand birthday breakfast.

"Alright, first we measure the ingredients." He says as he takes the scale and gently pours the flour into the tared bowl on the scale. Then the baking powder, then the eggs and the oil… he continues to measure. Somewhere along that time, Ichiji had returned with a kitchen help.

"Ooohhh, Ichiji's got a girl friend ~." Yonji teases. Ichiji ignores him while Cosette blushes red. Cosette was all ready to sneak out to the abandoned kitchen when the prince grabbed her shoulder. She was shocked at first, thinking it was the ghost of the third prince that Prince Niji had insisted walked the halls, but immediately calmed down when she realized it was Prince Ichji- a very alive and very handsome prince.

"G-Good morning your highnesses." She bows to greet them, the butler's bow which Reiju raised a brow with at her action. Isn't she a girl?

"She's a cook's apprentice. Think of her like Sanji, only she's weaker than him and a girl." Ichiji introduces.

"That's good. Do you mind helping me here. I've already made one set for the batter, but there's bacon to fry, cream to whip and fruits to cut." Judge explains the process.

"U-Understood your highness." She bowed as she'd took the heavy cream on the counter and placed it, the bowl and the mixer attachments in the refrigerator. She takes the bacon and the fruits and heads for the sink. She places the package of bacon in a basket of water to thaw, and on the other sink, washes the berries and fruits she plans to cut.

After washing the fruits, she takes them to another counter to start peeling and cutting. While she was doing that, Reiju approaches. "I could do that, if you don't mind." She takes the knife and cuts the strawberries into halves. To a few of the berries, she lets them stay whole. She then decided she wants to make chocolate strawberries and takes the chocolate from the pantry to melt in the microwave. Cosette didn't think the princess knew how to do that… more over use the microwave.

Then again, using the microwave must be but a simple task to the geniuses at Germa.

Then she proceeds to check on the bacon. Which was already in Ichiji's gloved hands, taken from the tub of water which had thawed it enough for handling. On his other hand, he had a non-stick skillet.

"Cosette, please turn on the stove top for me."

"Y-yes, your highness." She complied. Setting-up the stove top a working space away from the king to avoid the flavors from mixing.

"Cosette, go help father at his pancakes. I know for a fact he'd end up under or over seasoning it." Ichiji requests of her as he sets his skillet and lays on the bacon while the pan was still cold, and he re-sets the fire to the lowest setting. One secret he'd learned from Sanji all those years ago to avoid shrinkage.

While Cosette goes to help Judge at his pancakes, she finds the scene very odd… Firstly, why are the Germa royalty working so familiarly in the kitchen? She'd understood that it was only the third prince who loved to cook, but why does it seem they were all involved either way? The unorthodox situation has her baffled, but continues to work either way.

Yonji was beside his father, cheering for him to flip the pancake. "Flip!" He'd cheer, and the king would fail to flip it back flat.

"That's no fun. Sanji use to flip it up away high." Yonji would pout, tears brimming at his eyes. He'd missed Sanji the most. He'd cried for weeks after the fire and the funeral. He still cries when they bring him up at the wrong time.

"Y-your highness. It would be advisable for you to taste the first pancake before you continue." She'd interjected. She never though he'd listen to her, but instead, he pinches a part of the first pancake and eats it. "Salty." He' says. "Too Salty." Yonji takes a pinch too and spits it out. "Very Salty."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad son." Judge defends himself. Reiju stops her work and comes to taste test too. She takes a pinch, eats it and smiles. Judge thinks she's going to say something like it's good. "Suuuuper Salty Dad!" Reiju had commented with a smile as bright as her mother's.

Judge takes his children in his arms. "Agghhh! Let's see you two try making better pancakes!" He'd squeeze them tightly in his hug, rubbing their cheeks on his prickly stubble.

"Dad! Nooo! Stop! It's prickly!" The kids complain with squeals and giggles. "We're grown up now! Stop!"

Cosette finds herself smiling too. What a charming family they were, these royals.

"Dad! Mom's gonna wake-up soon and the pancakes aren't ready yet!" Ichiji interjects as he finishes up the last of the sizzling bacon and lays them on the paper towels on the plate.

"I know. I'll measure them up again." Judge began, but Cosette had already measured all the dry ingredients together in one bowl, opposed to Judge measuring everything in separate bowl and mixing them up together later. "Your highness, would you please get started with cracking the eggs. I will measure the oil, butter milk and vanilla extract for you to mix with those later." Cosette measure the sugar and the right amount of salt.

Judge had already started cracking the eggs in another bowl. Later on, he adds the wet ingredients Colette had measured and were finally able to prepare the new batter. While he was mixing, Colette had placed the salty batch in a plastic bag and plans to re-work them later into fried corndog batter. She worked fast and managed to clean the pan and introduce using butter to lubricate the pan to add flavor.

"How efficient." Judge had commended. Bringing a hand up to affectionately trouble the girl's hair. "You're one very capable chef little miss." He'd praised.

"T-th- thank you, your highness!" She blushes a bright red."

Judge goes off to cook the batter into cakes while Colette continues her work and takes out the chilled cream and utensils to whip.

All in all, the group had able to finish by the time Sora were to wake. "Great! Now Reiju, you go first and wake your mom with a beautiful morning serenade." Judge had pushed his daughter off to get her violin from her room.

"But I didn't practice…"

"You'll do wonderful my little musical angel!"

"Can I be a moth instead?"

"Yes, yes, now go and get your instrument. So we can wake your mother with the sound of a beautiful melody." He all but pushed her out the door. Once she was out, he turns to his three boys. Ichiji fixing the bacon on the plate, Yonji placing the last of the dirty utensils in the sink and Niji, still asleep on the counter, head down and arm up, having slipped from his previous position of his arm supporting his cheek.

"Ichiji, Niji, Yonji." Judge had called the three boys, startling Niji awake with an '_I'm up, I'm up!'_. "Now you three get to carry the syrup, the flowers and the fruit bowl." He passed those things off to each son in that specific order.

"Let's go wake your mother!" Judge had happily announced.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Was it just me, or were you guys also satisfied by Ichiji cooking bacon? I noticed something- This happens a lot when it comes to siblings, but don't siblings usually get the wrong person "shipped" with them? Not realizing that it's the other sibling you should be shipping them with? It happens, right? Like, childhood friend shipping, and all that. It actually happens, sometimes to best friends. Luckily, childhood crushes DON'T lead to permanently broken bridges.**


	8. Niji's Will

**C-N 2.7: Niji's Will**

"I hate you Yonji Vinsmoke! I hate you with all my heart and soul!" Niji throws a large Judge shaped rock garden statue at Yonji. It cracks as it hit the youngest sibling of Germa on his chest, and completely shatters as it hits the floor.

"I hate you more! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!" Yonji stomps his feet to emphasize his point, each stomp cracks the flooring of the garden. A hairline crack continues to surge through the stones as it makes it's way under Niji's feet.

Niji moves away, he moves as fast as lightning. Blue sparks appearing as he does.

As you can clearly see, the brothers are fighting. Something that rarely happens in the Germa Kingdom…

"Actually, it's something that's been building-up to this by a long shot." Ichiji sighs. "Let me explain mom, father. Sister, kindly request us a seat while those two battle it out. Believe me, they need this."

"Alright, son, what happened to those two?" Judge huffs as he watches two of his sons exchange blows after blow. Lighting cracking in electric blue for every unseeable move by the second son and stones literally breaking apart by the force of the youngest's steps alone.

"For you to understand this case, we must go back five days ago to the start of the build-up. That was the day Reiju played at 5pm instead of 3."

'Not again Ichiji…' Sora internally groans. Not another detailed over analyzed re-telling of the cause of his brother's arguments.

"That day was also the day that Niji took a nap and was expecting to be woken-up by 3, however, due to Reiju's change in schedule, he woke up at 5. It's obvious that Niji had napped too much, hence he woke up in a groggy and unreasonable state of mood." Sora internally groans some more. She can see where this is going.

"That day was also the day Yonji was "testing" his first robotic arm extender, separate from the Winch Gauntlet."

"I remember that. Didn't it break due to malfunction?"

"Yes, the malfunction was caused by Niji who was underneath Yonji's swing path when he was testing it. Niji protected himself and had created an electric barrier to shock-down any electronics that got near him, and this included Yonji's arms. The arms malfunctioned and sent Yonji barreling into Niji who was already in a sour mood after over sleeping."

"Let me guess, they fought," Judge asks.

"Yes and no. They screamed, as expected of a sour faced Niji, but ultimately Niji backed down when he realized Yoni's project was blown-out by his voltage. Yonji cried but came to pick-up the pieces of the arms and swore to make it Niji resistant the next time he rebuilds it."

"But that was 5 days ago. Surely, they've forgotten the incident."

"Yes, yes they have." Ichiji agrees. They're brothers, of course, they forget about silly petty arguments such as that. Yonji went on to improve his arms and Niji went on to bother Ichiji with the prospect of ghost hunting.

"Then why did you mention that day? I asked why they're fighting now, Ichiji." Sora prods. Ichiji just tends to make the story longer than it needs to be. So detailed this child, she thinks to herself.

"I had mentioned this was a built-up type of grudge. That was just incident number 1."

"For the love of- Ichiji darling, please just tell us the reason why your brothers are…"

"Incident 2 occurred at night. You see, Niji came across Cosette when she was using Sanji's kitchen and proceeded to violently punch and kick her out. However, Yonji was awakened from his sleep by the noise, and since we consider Cosette to be our friend, Yonji defended her against Niji before he could cause permanent injury to her."

"Niji did what?!" Judge's aghast expression as he hears his son's actions. "Who's this Cosette?" Sora asks, not having met her yet but knowing the name of the endorsed kitchen staff.

"She's a friend mom. She's like Sanji, but weaker and a girl." Ichiji explains because that was the perfect explanation for Cosette.

"That boy. Next time, you three will learn proper etiquette when treating a lady. I was hoping you three would learn how to properly handle a lady by my example of how I treat your mother, but apparently that isn't enough." Judge grumbles as Ichiji continues his explanation.

"Incident 3 happened just the next day after that night. Yonji had taken a few parts from Niji's sash of machine parts. Let's just say Niji's nano threads won't be happening any day now."

"Nano?! Did we even approve that project?" Sora was shocked. She specifically turned down that project due to the budget and the studies yet to be constructed. Nano threads that would re-weave and unweave when prompted. It was supposed to be a large scale project that would require 20 scientists to construct…. And Niji was already making the machine?

"No, no you did not. He decided for himself to construct his prototype of it, so he was modifying and upgrading the old 3D printer to create nano-bots and nano-chains to lead the weaving, or so he says."

"That- that is an ingenious cost-saving plan." Judge thinks, quite happy that his son managed to make it as such.

"It would have been, but the part Yonji took was the one with nano chips, the green board which is specifically made for nano-modifications on any machines. Apparently, Yonji was on the same thought process to utilize any energy his arms and gauntlets come across into little nano particles which would be small enough to simply get absorbed by his tech. Simply put, both were thinking of applying nano-technology to their projects." It's obvious both scientists would like to expound on the theory of using nano technology on the threads and energy absorption, but Reiju was more interested in saving a part of the kingdom.

"And I am guessing it's what lead to this?" Reiju points to the very much destroyed landmass. This snail is going to need a lot of repairs...

"We are partly there."

"Ugh! Ichi! Please, tell us already the reason why our brothers are fighting!" Reiju grinds her teeth at the stress, barely at the edge of her seat, ready to shake his brother into hurrying up with his story.

"Incident 4-"

"Young man, if this isn't the ultimate reason the fight had started, so help me I will ground you along with your brothers." Sora snaps.

"Honey, isn't that a bit too…"

"A bit too what?!" Sora glares at her husband, who just decided to raise his hands to placate his wife.

"Ichiji, just think very hard and tell us the ultimate reason why your brothers are fighting." Judge pleads instead.

Ichiji thinks, very hard as he watches his brothers fight. The part of the kingdom already crumbling below them as fumes and dust clouds continue to rise with every power-boosted attack the two were giving off. "They're fighting because Niji wouldn't write Yonji down in his will."The eldest son explained. Which gave both parents no clear connected reasoning on how the past 5 days of Ichiji's story would have any correlation to a written will by the second son.

Reiju seems to be aware, connecting the dots together in her brain as she face palms and massaged her temple, groaning out her complaints to her blue haired brother.

"And how is a "will" related to the last 5 days leading up to this mess?" Sora made the mistake to ask, but realized it too late when Ichiji continued,

"Incident 4, the two proceeded to steal the green board from each other's project table until Niji decided to write a memorandum of things he owns and the proper procedure to borrow them. He came to me asking for an approval system that would make it so we, his siblings (us), would be required to file in paper work before we can borrow his items."

"That's just unreasonable." Judge comments.

"The exact mindset of Yonji who has no idea how to make his paper work. Which leads us to Incident 5, the writing of the will."

"That's enough information. I get it now. I'll be handling this." Sora announces as she stands up and enters the frey of super powered children decking it out on the used to be garden.

Judge and the two eldest children watched as the fight settles down. The blue lightning finally stopped and the dust began to settle as the two finally finished fighting. Figures emerge from the smoke. The shadows of Sora pulling her children by the ears as they exit the battle grounds.

"Mom! It's not my fault! Yonji started it."

"No, You! You wrecked my arms!"

"You stole my chip and green board!"

"You made me do paper work!"

"I had to make you do paper work, or else you'll keep getting the things that aren't yours you kleptomaniac!" -Niji was slapped on his cheek by Sora. For a second, everyone froze.

"Niji, don't call your brother names," Sora spoke sternly.

"-but… He… he tossed my -will… into the sea…" At this Niji began to cry.

"It was just a stupid piece of paper." Yonji argues, shakey from seeing his mom slap her bother's cheek, and seeing his brother cry.

"Would you throw that piece of paper way if it were Sanji's recipes?" Niji bites back. Yonji begins to tear-up. "-It's not fair. Don't mention Sanji in _*sniffs*_ -this."

"How can I not when you threw away my friggin' will! I don't know when I'm gonna die. For all I know, I might end up dead tomorrow, and I haven't left anything in this world to remember me by! **_He_** left and he proved nothing! **_HE_** wasn't even able to set sail to find his precious _"All Blue"_! I might die and leave nothing the same way he did and I wouldn't have a will to tell you how I'm splitting my stuff-up instead of letting it fester and collect dust in my room like Sanji's things!" Niji breathes, glares at Ichiji right across from him. Ichiji stands firm on his place. He knows Niji, he can predict everything his brother will say to win his case, to prove his point. Ichiji knows it'll be about Sanji...

"You- You guys-… even let the peasant girl have **_HIS_** Kitchen! Those were **_HIS_** things! How could you let other people use **_HIS THINGS_**!" Niji screams after his tirade, letting out all his pent-up frustrations...

Sora cries and breathes, getting a clearer understanding of her child. So he was mad because Sanji wasn't there... because he feels something missing.

At the side, Ichiji clicks his tounge. He knew Niji cared, despite his sudden sarcastic catchphrase... If letting Cosette use the kitchen angered him so much, he would tell her to practice in the palace kitchen instead... but Niji's mind wasn't that simple, he knows. There is more that his brother isn't telling. Something he isn't getting...

"Yeah, well, I haven't done anything either!" Yonji shouts at his brother, still angry and sad.

"Why didn't you make your own will then?!"

"Because your will was unfair!"

"Liar! You tossed it out because you can't make your own; because you can't make your own paperwork!" Niji argues bitterly at Yonji.

"**Both of you…" **Sora bites back the scorn, stops herself from telling them off. Her children look so scared, so sad and wounded and vulnerable... the opposite of what she'd hoped. The things she never wishes to see... "-Will not die." Sora says sternly instead as she tears up. There is nothing, literally **NOTHING** more painful than hearing your children say they will die, when their parents had taken everything they had, everything they can to ensure that they can't die by ordinary means.

She had worked her hardest to enhance them, worked hard to keep them safe for 13 years. They were here, strong and enhanced and yet they still fear death… because to them, Sanji, their brother, the best of them, died.

There was no saving them from the fear of mortality, and no quelling their fear of leaving nothing to their names, like every man who finds a purpose in they world, they plan to carve their names into pedestals that the world would see and remember for eternity. The same way she and her husband plans to engrave their names in science and the world.

They were brilliant children, wonderful, imaginative, smart and crafty, and yet they fear the most inevitable- Death.

At such a young and tender age, Niji fears death more than he fears loss. He'd fight his brother to protect his legacies, his possessions, the things that belonged to him. Wants to be remembered by assigning his things to people he loves, hoping they treasure his memory...

Sora wants to laugh. Wants to tell them Sanji wasn't dead, that he was alive somewhere in East Blue, training for his dream. -She doesn't tell them. This was not the right time to tell them. If they try to contact him, she knows they will try and will succeed, the little geniuses they are, they could compromise Sanji and his safety. They were far-far away from East Blue, and Sanji was vulnerable. She will never tell.

"You two… are fighting for such shallow reasons. If you grew up into selfish adults, I swear I will rise from the grave and haunt you both." She scolds her children. "Believe in the science of Germa. You four were enhanced to withstand the hottest of flames, the coldest of storms. With skin as hard as metal and quick repairing muscles and bones. You will not die easily. So rest assured, you won't need a will so soon." Niji holds his tounge but grits his teeth and grinds. 'What about Sanji?' He wanted to ask. He was taken too soon…

"You four had developed, now, you four are stronger… and until you grow up and achieve your dreams, we'll be here to help you, so the next time you write your wills it would be about every masterpiece you've made and not the parts to make them. Ok." Sora explains as she opens her arms, waiting for her children to fall into them. Yonji immediately accepts. Immediately goes to hug his mother. She takes him in with no hesitation. She waits then for her second son.

Niji hesitates. Hands balled into fists at his sides. He can only look at her through his water-logged goggles. To trust in Germa's science, she says.

How can he, when he knows the science is not yet perfect. When there is so much more to upgrade. How can he trust Germa's science, when they'd lost one of their princes? When they've let him get poisoned and made so many enemies that could kill them… How can he trust this kingdom when they boast about dreams, and yet haven't made a move to re-claim their ultimate dream? To conquer North Blue… So much for military might.

"I'm still writing my will, and nothing is going to Yonji." He states. Yonji growls at him like a mutt. Niji shrugs as he turns away, a coy smile on his lips, placing both hands behind his head, seemingly relaxed and uncaring, not extending his hands to anyone. Walking past his parents and siblings and heading for their tower. "After all, there's nothing I can possible have that he can't build in the future." He says sarcastically.

Believe in the science of Germa… he scoffs to himself. What a joke. You shouldn't believe in something that isn't perfect… it will only make you confident but foolish. Will only hurt you more after your fall.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**A dark turn of events… Is just what this story needs, don't you think?**

**And here we have a part that every teen would think about… death. What they leave behind. Their life's work… Heck at this point in my life, I already made a will about where and who my collections would go to. I even wrote that only a few things are going to my sister, and a lot more things will go to my favorite cousin just to smite her. :P**

**Next chapter wouldn't be up for a VERY VERY VERY long time. This may be on HIATUS until I have time and talent to write. :D So until then, :X -Think of this as a time skip before a season 2. Until then, this is considered incomplete and on Hiatus.**


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